Holmes for Christmas
by Jason Layton
Summary: OC fic for Christmas. Now complete, and we are moving on.
1. Chapter 1

**Ladies and Gents, I'm really really cold, I love snow, but it's getting annoying trying to get to work in a blizzard every morning, oh yeah and somewhere out there in the cold is my wife trying to get home for Christmas.**

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><p>The snow hitting the car windscreen was giving her tunnel vision, she loved the snow, she really did, but this was a joke. She'd borrowed a Volvo C70 estate 4x4, from the estate manager for this journey, and the unusual driving position was making her miserable. In the back of the car slept her youngest son, all of 3 he and his big brother had been up since 5am the excitement of Christmas morning to big a draw for them to stay in their beds. They'd spent the week running up to today at her father's estate of Blengindale, with the understanding that they would travel to The Holmes estate at Thame in time for Christmas Day Lunch.<p>

John and Sherlock would already be at the house, an SOS text message from Sherlock 2 days before had advised her of that. Mycroft had decided that the couple would travel to Oxfordshire with himself and his assistant when they left Whitehall on Friday afternoon. After years of avoiding all Christmas festivity, this year Sherlock would have no choice. They of course would have had a chauffeur driven black Mercedes to ensure their safe arrival. Lucy and her precious boys would have to face the horror of a 100mile drive, in a snow storm on Christmas Day.

The M23 and M25 were fine, quiet and with little weather, but the M40 had proved her undoing. The quiet road and lack of gritters had meant snow settling on the carriageway and despite the Volvo's excellent road handling she was struggling to travel at a decent speed. Squinting at the road in front, she wished she'd left earlier, but Simon and John had been playing with their new toys and her father hadn't wanted them to leave at all.

"It's OK Mummy, we have plenty of time" Simon informed her from the passenger seat, "Lunch isn't till after 3, and it's only 12 now."

Lucy looked across at him and smiled, all three of them were wearing matching reindeer jumpers, and Simon had pulled his sleaves down to cover his little cold hands. She reached across and pulled him towards her.

"You know I love you, don't you kiddo?" she asked him, taking her eyes from the road, to plant a brief kiss onto the top of his dark brown curls, before gently pushing the child away.

"Yeah!" he told her, carefully re-arranging his hair.

Radio 4 was playing gently in the car, after The Archer's omnibus it had changed to Desert Island Discs, but she hadn't any interest in changing it. A comedienne she didn't recognise was taking Destiny's Child Bootylicious, to her island. A thought of how Radio 4 was dumbing down ran through her head, before she realised that not only was Jnr awake behind her but was in fact dancing and singing along.

"Where did you hear this song?" Lucy asked Simon, a little disturbed by her giggling toddler.

"Uncle John sings it all the time" Simon explained, looking at his tiny singing brother.

"figures!"

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><p><strong>So there will be more, I'm thinking Christmas Lunch, 'cos well you know we can all imagine them.<strong>

**Stay warm, stay safe**

**Merry Christmas **

**Jason xxx**


	2. Chapter 2

**Well once again I've engaged in Xmas with the parents, boxing day with the inlaws and a bank holiday with friends. Today I'm back to being called lazy and hiding from the wind... there is a rumour I may have to go to the sales later, so this might be short and sweet! lol**

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><p>The Christmas table was laid in the traditional manner with position given to the salt.<p>

Mycroft sat at the centre of the table with Sherlock to his left and Mummy to his right, Katherine sat opposite him. Simon sat beside Lady Holmes with Lucy opposite him. Junior sat between Katherine and Lucy. Uncle Sherrinford sat on Katherine's other side, with John beside him. Finally Mrs Hudson made up the party sitting opposite John and beside Sherlock.

By the time Lucy and the boys had arrived, Uncle Sherrinford was already halfway towards pickled, and being placed beside the heavenly beauty of Mycroft's bride, had brought him to his most lechourous heights. Sherlock and Mycroft were sniping, and Lady Holmes was scowling at Lucy as if every move she made physically offended her.

Lucy and the boys had changed for dinner and striping off her reindeer jumper in Sherlock's room, Lucy had dressed in a green velvet v necked waterfall dress. The chilled looks from her mother-in-law meant she wished she'd kept the jumper on.

John couldn't quite believe that he was finally attending a Holmes family Christmas, he was under no impression that Lady Holmes could stand him, he knew that to Mycroft he was a useful ally in the war against Sherlock's most destructive habits, but looking around the table he saw something he'd been silently missing for 30 years...a proper family Christmas.

Conditions got signifcantly worse when starters were served, baked lobster pots with a herby breadcrumb crusts, the first thing that happened was Sherrinford flicked a massive forkful of crust at Mycroft. Unfortunately Mycroft had been talking to the Butler at the moment of impact and turning around sharply had met blank stoney faces...apart from the youngest Holmes, John who was laughing hysterically.

Mycroft's attempt at disciplining Lucy's youngest child had led to the angry professor throwing a glass of water at him, and hitting Sherlock, who in retaliation for the whole nightmare gave Mycroft a dead arm. Katherine appealed to Lady Holmes in desperation. The Matriarch gave a huge sigh, obviously used to this kind of detriation in her Christmas dinners, and made Sherlock and Sherriford swap seats.

John was able to sit holding Sherlock's hand to avoid anything more than sniping between the Holmes brothers. However the goose had been barely carved when John started to wish he had hold of Lucy as well. Freezing cold and fairly depressed she'd found solid comfort in alcohol. John had noticed she had been drinking fairly steadily, but now had gone to a level he had silently called "Harrified".

She had started sniping in the demure Katherine's general direction, mostly about their relative position in the family, as Katherine and Mycroft were now Lord and Lady Holmes, but Simon was likely to always be Mycroft's heir. This climaxed with her standing up and screaming at the table "who am I, the Holmes family cow?"

"No!" the Dowager explained "You're the brood mare"

John stood up at this point and dragging Lucy by her hand placed her on his seat, asking Katherine to take Lucy's empty chair he shifted Sherlock opposite Mycroft and sat between his lovers. This had been a mistake as it allowed Mycroft and Sherlock to kick each other mercilessly.

The youngest Holme's were behaving themselves far better than there adult counterparts, and now sat happily opposite one another, tucking into Christmas Pudding and Brandy butter, large sticky smiles on their faces. The two Lady Holmes now sat opposite each other, with an understanding and knowing look passing between them, against the other members of the family. The elder Holmes brothers were not behaving at all, and the kicking and food flicking had given way to harsh looks and occasional ankle stomping. John now sat opposite Uncle Sherrinford, who was telling him horrendous stories about his father Creighton, and Grandfather Sherlock. Mrs Hudson and Lucy both past the point of no return in terms of alcohol, sat opposite each other at the end of the table, singing When Grandma got run over by a reindeeeeeeeer.

Later that night, after he'd finally convinced them to go to bed, John lay awake between Lucy and Sherlock. Well he thought, all things considered, this really was what Christmas was all about.

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><p><strong>I'll probably continue this later on in the week.<strong>

**Oh and I'm using my Lucy's table planning tool to work out the dynamics.  
><strong>

**Loads of Love**

**Jas xx**


	3. Chapter 3

**So I mentioned earlier to some of you that the last chapter was fairly accurate to Christmas day, so I thought in the spirit of what was fair and honest I'd better add this.**

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><p>Sherlock awoke to the sound of someone moving about his bedroom, soft bare feet on the wooden floor boards. Feeling the warm comforting weight of John beside him, snoring gently, he propped himself up on an elbow and looked towards the sound.<p>

Framed in moonlight of the open window stood Lucy, her naked white skin shone with a blue luminance she stared out across the garden, and as her blonde hair fell down her shoulders and back, it shimmered and move in the light winter breeze.

"Lu?" Sherlock asked quietly sitting further up in bed.

She turned her moonshaped to face him, her large blue eyes resting on him and for a moment she gave him a sad sort of smile. "Go to sleep Sherlock" she told him, her normal crisp voice gaining an etheral quality.

Sleep and alcohol pricked at Sherlock's eyes, but he didn't take his wife's advise, and instead untangled himself from the bed, and slipping on a dressing gown walked to her side.

"You're freezing" he told her, grabbing her hand, "shut the window, and come back to bed."

"No, I'm thinking" she shook of his hand "Leave me be"

"What's wrong Lu?"

"You're the genius" she told him, and he stepped away

He looked over her body, so familiar to him, looking for any differences or changes, she'd put on a few pounds in weight over the summer, but nothing unhealthy in fact John seemed to prefer her new slightly rounded appearance. His mind briefly rested on pregnancy, but dismissed it with plenty of signs to the contrary, he thought back to the day, the smell of alcohol still on her breath despite the heavy smell of mint, and her sudden self-destructive need for cold.

"Katherine?" he asked "your jealous of Katherine?"

Lucy gave him a harsh stare

"Why?" he asked "you're..."

"What?" she snapped at him, "I'm what?"

Sherlock faltered, unsure whether to continue, as he opened his mouth she started...

"I'm 5 years her senior? I'm emotionally dead? I'm the f'in Holmes brood mare?"

"Amazing" he finished "You're my best friend, you're the mother of my children, the first person to love me for myself, gods above Lucille you put up with this ridiculous Menage-a-trois" he gestured to the sleeping Doctor, "because you actually revel in this mad little family we've created, why would you want to be Fatcroft's wife?"

"You're Mother hates me" Lucy told him

"She hates John and I as well" he countered placing a thing arm around her waist, "and john's wonderful!"

Finally she giggled and placed her head on his shoulder.

"Were you going to jump?" he asked leaning forward to stare out of the window

"Yes" she answered

"I thought I was the suicidal one" he told her closing the window, "I don't think the fall would kill you?"

"No that's what I thought, the cold and snow might though"

"No your to strong for that it would take more hours than you'd have lying injured in the snow to kill you" he steered her to the side of the bed, and placed a blanket round her shoulders. "Have you thought about suicide before?"

"Yes"

"Recently? A Lot?"

"Yes" she started sobbing

"Lu it's Boxing Day, you have 2 men who love you, you have 2 beautiful boys, a good career, what's wrong?"

"I don't think it's something that's wrong, I just feel...empty." she shrugged "I just want to be gone"

"Is there anything I can do, is there anything we can do?"

But Lucy just shook her head, and sobbed again. "I won't do anything tonight...I'm not feeling so...sad".

"Please Lu, stay with us, please we need you"

"I can't promise anything" she said, but crawled into the bed next to John, "but Sherlock?"

"Yes?"

"I do love you though"

He smiled "I know...go to sleep"

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><p><strong>I hope your all OK, I am today.<strong>

**Love to all**

**Jason xxx**


	4. Chapter 4

"Lucille are you drunk?" The Dowager Lady Holmes sneered across the breakfast table, at her oldest daughter-in-law.

"Not yet Violet, are you?" She sneered back from behind knitted hung-over brows.

Mycroft, Sherlock, Sherrinford, Simon and Dr Watson had gone to meet the Boxing Day Hunt, leaving the ladies and Junior to breakfast in the Dowagers sitting room. If Lucy's depression hadn't been the cause of a temperamental humour, being forced to spend the morning with the monosyllabic Katherine and the acidic Violet, would have turned the sweetest mood sour.

"So Katherine, what's Mycroft like behind the cold, control freak exterior we all hate and despise?" Lucy asked her sister-in-law, whilst sinking another glass of champagne.

"Uncle Mycoff is rovery" Junior suddenlt announced, giving Katherine a sticky and loving hug, "Anti Kafrine too, they gave me Pooh things for Chrismas"

Katherine patted the tot on the head, and smiled.

"Did you like the Winnie the Pooh playset John?" She asked the tot, who was now perched on her lap, in reply she got another cuddle.

"Traitor" Lucy hissed, and sank another glass.

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><p>"Have you ever been to the hunt before, Dr Watson?" Mycroft asked John as they entered the pub car park<p>

"Erm, no in fact I've never seen one outside the telly" John explained, looking around impressed at the selection of hunters emerging from various horseboxes.

"Of course before Mycroft banned it, there was actually a point" Sherlock sneered, continuing as distractedly as he had all morning.

"It wasn't actually in my power either way, Sherlock as you know"

"Fatcroft can't do horses" Sherlock continued

"Yes well some of us didn't spend our adolescence in the stables with the grooms did we Sherlock?"

"Daddy, Uncle Mycroft, Uncle John?" Simon asked, tugging at John's hand "Can I stroke a pony?"

"Of course Darling" Sherlock suddenly said, his false smile plastered on his face, "come along" He led his eldest son of to a group of men and there mounts, he was greeted with claps on the back and welcomed like an old friend, disappearing into their midst without a backwards glance.

"He hasn't come to Christmas for nearly ten years" Mycroft huffed "I wish him another decade of absence".

"Oh Mycroft that's not fair" John chided "we came to celebrate your first Christmas as a married man, all the family together"

The politician smiled "Thank you Dr Watson" he shook the Doctors hand, "Welcome to the family, John".

John smiled, and shook it back enthusiastically, just then he turned to see where Sherlock had got to.

"Oh for gods sake Sherlock...give that man his horse back!


	5. Chapter 5

Lucy lay sprawled across the large low sofa, her feet propped on the arm, and her head buried under a cushion. Her bare left arm was flung aside, her boney fingers still clasped around the stem of her empty champagne flute, and her right hand cradled her buried head. The thin skirt she was wearing was rucked up behind her knees, exposing her long smooth legs to the chill of the Orangery.

The Holmes' boxing day guests, milled around the mansion forming little clicks and groups, all carefully avoiding the sleeping woman. Some of the guests were neighbours, some were tenants, some estate employees and some carefully chosen aquaintances. None of them were friends, the Holmes family didn't have friends. The uninitiated, the strangers, the ones who had yet to see the wrath of the Holmes' were the only ones who even gave Lucy a passing glance.

All that changed early in the afternoon, the house became full of talk about the King George VI stakes at Kempton. Would Kauto Star win another race, his sixth, or would Long Shot return to bring another blip in the great horses form? Suddenly the house was full of people surreptitiously placing bets on their iphones, and it was then that Lucy got her first visitor.

Lying in her original position, she became aware of a small hand grasping her wrist.

"Mummy?" Junior whispered "Mummy, it's can I put a pound on the GG-Bobbos?"

"Which race?" Lucy groaned from under her pillow

"King George Kemton" he lisped

"Yes, put it on Burton Loam" she groaned, turning herself into the pillow. She listened as her youngest child pottered out of the room, carefully closing the glass door behind him.

A few minutes later she heard his happy singing, "I won 100 quid, I won 100quid". Smiling she snuggled back down, trying not to concentrate on her burgeoning hangover. If she continued to be a drunken disgrace hopefully she could be left alone till New Years Day. It wasn't to last.

"Erm Hello?" Posh voiced, male, young early thirties, possible son of neighbours.

"Hello?" Lucy groaned, "what do you want?"

"Well, Hi, erm I heard the little boy saying you picked the winner, 100-1 outsider, I just wondered, erm, the 3.15 at Wolverhampton, any tips?"

Lucy sat up and fixed him with a glare, she looked him up and down, he was lean, needed the money was here to find a job, and took pity on him. "Put £50 on Tornado star to win, I think the odds are 33-1, you'll get a return of £1700" she flopped down onto the sofa again.

Ten minutes later there was a roar, and she smile inwardly.

By 4pm there was a queue to Lucy's sofa, John who had spent most of the afternoon pleasantly engaged with Sherlock came down the stairs and walked into an amused Mycroft.

"What's going on?" He asked pointing at the line.

"Lucille is giving racing tips" Mycroft smiled and shrugged.

"Really?" John asked "Is she any good?"

Just then another cheer erupted from the drawing room.

"Evidently" Mycroft announced before wandering off.

Later that evening, while Sherlock was roaming the now empty house, John turned to the now awake and sober Lucy.

"What was all that about earlier?"

"Huh?"

"The Orangery Tote?"

"Oh" she shrugged, and snuggled into him "The Holmes' can make amazing deductions from single clues, but me? I can read the racing form like Cassandra herself."


	6. Chapter 6

It was the day after Boxing Day, and as Sherlock had lost some kind of mad bet with Mycroft they were stuck at the Holmes mansion until New Year. John was quite surprised, Sherlock was taking it particularly well, considering the fight he'd put up when they had first arrived, since Christmas Night however he'd been fairly quite regarding returning to London. No desperate need for a case, no shouting or shooting the walls. In fact he'd been so quiet and withdrawn John wondered if he hadn't found something 7% stronger than a case.

At breakfast with the Holmes Mycroft and Mummy had announced they would be spending the day in the study and were not to be disturbed. Sherlock had just snorted in derision. Mrs Hudson, who had decided she was enjoying her holiday, said it was lovely and she needed to catch up with her soaps. Which had led Uncle Sherrinford to ask whether Amos Wilkes still ran the Woolpack, horrified by this lack of basic knowledge concerning Emmerdale Mrs Hudson dragged him into the TV room after Breakfast for a crash course in UK soap operas.

Katherine and John still closer than anyone else in the family after their time on Dartmoor, had decided to take the boys to play in the large Nursery. John believed Christmas was all about the children, and had initially decided that a day playing would be well spent, when Katherine had announced her desire for a Disney Trivial Pursuit rematch. They enclosed themselves in the safety of the old family room. They laughed at Sherlock's old pirate ship, and the random science equipment all over the place. John didn't like to ask why everyone was so sure that Mycroft and Katherine wouldn't conceive their own heir, but assumed by the way she had taken to the boys it wasn't because of a lack of desire.

John and Katherine were very similar it occurred to them both, with no children of their own but firmly ensconced within this mad family, these children were their surrogates. They both loved them, these sweet little boys who danced and played and sang despite the darkness of their parents or the weight of history and destiny upon them. Even if the rest of this mad family managed to tear itself to bits, they knew it was going to be them that picked up the pieces, a notion of normality in world upside down. During their time in Dartmoor they'd decided between them, whatever happened, however bad life got, these two precious boys wouldn't grow up like Sherlock and Mycroft. They would always be loved, they would always be protected.

After breakfast Sherlock had disappeared into the library, while everyone else went about their days. Lucy however was left sitting at the breakfast table, as the staff came and cleared the table around her, she sat alone and cold with her untouched toast in front of her. Her head resting in her hands, she felt numb, the world continued around her and she didn't feel part of it anymore. She couldn't remember when she started feeling like this, she wasn't even sure if she'd always felt like this, but nothing felt right anymore. Coming back to Baker Street from Hertfordshire, was that when she started feeling cold? Or was it before that; was it Dartmoor, and the events around finding Siger's body? She had tried to keep up appearances been a good mother and patient wife, she'd tried to seem happy and carefree to John, but it was all a lie.

After about an hour, she stood up, her bones cracked and she shook herself. She was sad, and needed someone to be with, someone who wouldn't care she was sad. She walked to library, and after knocking on the heavy oak door she walked in.

Sherlock was sitting in a large green leather wingback chair, a small hardback book open and up close to his nose, a leather bound notepad balanced on the arm and a pen in his hand. Dressed all in black and in the semi shadow of the room he would be barely visible if you weren't used to looking for him.

He looked up and gave his half smile, she didn't, couldn't return it.

"You're sad again?" he asked her, knowing the answer already.

"Walk with me?" she asked, he quirked his eyebrows "Please, walk with me"

He got up and walked towards her, bringing his face as close to hers as he could, he breathed in her scent, honey and red berry's. Honey for him, always for him he loved the smell and she knew it. The red berry's for John. Stronger less subtle, but sweet and sugary subconsciously connecting her with their favourite things. He thinks how clever she is, he'd always liked her for her intellect as quick as him, if he had the patience to teach her she could deduct like him, but he wonders why she can't see how wonderful her life is.

Lucy is looking into those big grey eyes, face to face with her husband, begging him silently to keep her company. He smells of damp old books and coffee. His curls fall down to the level of his eyes, and she brushes them away with her cold fingers, he doesn't flinch, just looks at her. They are never gentle with one another, never soft, not like this. Her blue eyes wide framed by her ivory skin and blonde hair, dart across his familiar face, and she wonders what he's deducing about her.

He leans down and kisses her on the lips, tenderly and gently, and for a moment they are both slightly shocked. He turns to the closest chair, and collects his big woollen coat and drapes it over his arm, offering his other to Lucy.

"Of course, my dear I'd be delighted to take a turn with you."


	7. Chapter 7

It had been snowing all night, and any tracks made by last nights retreating guests had been covered over, as they walked out of the front door, Lucy wrapped her Belstaff coat around her, and silently thanked her husband for insisting she wore gloves. She pulled her arm through his again, Sherlock now wore his own coat, blue scarf and black leather gloves. They stepped out of the door and into the snow.

"Where do you want to go?" Sherlock asked her

"You know every inch of this place, but I've never been further than the house and drive, give me the tour" Lucy replied, snuggling closer into him.

Sherlock led them across the driveway and to the right, there was a small path between the trees, that led down to the woodland walk. As they walked under the canopy snow fell from the branches and rained down on them, here and there without Sherlock's knowledge of the path, Lucy would slip and lean heavily into him. He smiled everytime, whatever she might think, not much had changed in 10 years she still trusted him implicitly, trusting his greater wisdom even over her own eyes and feet.

When they reached the end of the path they had two choices, right would take them upwards towards the main gardens behind the house, over the slight rise that hid the Holmes property from the surrounding farmland. The left hand path would take them further downwards, through a small dip and round the 3 acre lake and towards the Estate church. He offered her the choice, but wastn't surprised when she wanted to go left. He thought of the Graveyard where they'd laid his father to rest a few months before, where his great-grandfather and namesake was buried, and where all the Holmes waited for their eternity. Against his better judgement, he steered them carefully down the winding path.

When they reached the lake Lucy stopped and stared over the glassy frozen surface, towards the little cabin in the middle of the lake island. A small boat was drawn up onto the bank beside it.

"What's that?" she asked

"My Pirate den" Sherlock smirked, "I used to play in there as a child"

"Why is there a boat on the island?" she asked "is there someone in there now?"

"It's been there for years, last time I went there, I left the boat and swam back" Sherlock explained

"What did you leave in there?" She asked

He gave her a questioning look and then smiled, "you know John would never pick up on that, don't you?" he asked her.

"I'm aware, and that doesn't answer the question"

"I'm not going to tell you, but Lu, if you ever doubt me, really doubt me, if everything else makes you hate me, go there and find it."

She looked up at him, looked at his serious grey eyes and nodded.

"Sherlock, I love you, and I mean really love you and I don't mean our stupid code, I mean honestly and truly and deeply. I know you can't say it back and I'm fine with that, really I am, and I know I'll never mean the same to you as John does, but you need to know this. I will follow you to the ends of the earth, or stay behind and die alone if you asked me too. I am your creature and always will be, I love you." She blushed as she said this., and he just stared.

He took her hands "Lu, I can't"

She shook her head "I know, it's okay really"

"You are my best friend, and you mean so much to me, but the only person I love, truly love is John. You and I we've never had the same relationship."

"I know"

"Is that why you're sad?"

"No, but I needed you to know you aren't responsible for why I'm sad, I've thought about it a lot, and I don't think that's why. I feel like I'm missing something, deep and important."

He looked at her, "You'd be better off talking to John"

"No Sherlock, I need to talk to you, I don't care if you're uncomfortable or don't think you're good at this, you are the only person who even remotely understands me, you made me who I am, and I'm not sure I like it at all." She dry sobbed and he cuddled her, looking out at the lake the snow started falling again.


	8. Chapter 8

When Sherlock and Lucy reached the graveyard, it was snowing quite heavily again. Sherlock's dark curls were straightened with damp, and Lucy's hair was almost grey with snow, both their faces were red and flushed with cold. They walked under the church porch, and Sherlock tried the door. It was locked and he searched his pockets for his lock picking it. Lucy battered his hands, and reached into her own poacher's pocket, she removed her small wooden box, and he smirked. His was identical, he had given her this one, and he knew what was in it.

The catch of the box was old and worn from use, the mahogany lid was carefully carved with M.R. and just before she opened the catch Lucy ran her fingers over the engraving. He watched her amused, she must do this every time she opened the box, and he suddenly wondered how often she did that. She opened it carefully, resting the lid half open on its antique struts. He could see the worn purple velvet, as she picked out the large iron key to the church door. She gave it to him, and he turned the lock, smiling at the ridiculous security priorities of the Holmes, that everyone was under class 3 surveillance but they hadn't changed this lock for at least 100 years.

As they hurried inside, Sherlock groped for the light-switch and Lucy went to the electric heater that hung from the wall in the Lady Chapel. Switching it on full, she basked in the heat, before removing her wet coat and gloves. When Sherlock came to her, she was looking distinctly warmer, and smiling. He removed his own coat and scarf arranging them under the heat, then moving one of the wooden cushioned chairs, sat back with his long legs resting on the pew, she sat by his feet, resting her own, now bare feet lightly on his upper thigh. He had her box in his hand and ran his own fingers along the engraving, she watched him transfixed by his long fingers.

"Do you regret giving me that?" she asked him quietly, "now you have John?" she added in response to his quizzical look.

"Not for an instant" he told her smiling, opening the box gently, "have I ever told you why I did?"

"You gave it to me on the flight to Argentina, do you remember the stewardess, she thought you'd proposed? You told me to keep it on me wherever we went and never to leave it behind, you said it was my insurance, and if your family tried to keep me away from you I had to show them the box" She cocked her head, "is there another reason?"

Sherlock smiled, and closed the box. "Do you know what my engraving is?" she shook her head, it had never occurred to her to look. "It says S.H." She stared for a moment, and he continued. "I was given these boxes by my Grandfather before he died, they had belonged to his parents, Sherlock Holmes and Mary Russell. In them they had kept the evidence of their secret marriage, hidden from the whole Holmes clan until Mary conceived my Grandfather. Suddenly from the real threat of this family dying out, they had an heir. He was born in 1923, and his father, my namesake died in 1935, my great grandmother died ten years later when my father was 5."

"You've never told me any of this" Lucy said, stroking his feet

"It didn't seem important, my Grandfather gave them to me, he saw in me his father not just the name, or being the younger son, but something in me my aloofness possibly. He told me when I found my Mary, whoever she was I'd know and I had to give her Mary's box. You're my Mary, you've always been my Mary."

Lucy stared at him for a moment, and then she stood up, walked up to him and kissed him. Then she giggled, he looked at her and giggled back. For a few moments they just laughed at each other, she sat back down opposite him as they quietened down, and looked at him again.

"So I'm not just you're brood mare?" she giggled and sobbed all at once

"No, of course not, I gave you that box long before Afghanistan" he frowned "Long before I thought I'd ever meet someone like John, I'm sorry I really am". He knelt in front of her and opened the box, inside alongside her key was a delicately carved wedding ring, and a diamond engagement ring.

"Are you going to propose Sherlock?" she asked

"Yes" he smiled "Look I don't know why you've never worn this properly, but would you for me?" He took the wedding ring from the box and placed it on her finger. "I love John, you know I do, but you're our wife both John and I's. I don't know if this will help you feel whole, I don't know how to make you feel complete, but understand you have a place in this family"

She smiled and looked at the ring on her finger, throughout the years she'd worn it on occasion, but for the first time she felt it was hers, really truly hers. "Will you wear yours?" she asked him.

He looked struck for a minute, then smiled, his genuine smile, normally kept for John. He reached inside his pocket and took out his own box, Lucy had a moment to realise he'd had it on him all this time, before he took his ring from the box, and placed it on his own finger. Lucy kissed him on the forehead.

"Can we have one made for John?" she asked

"Really?"

"Yes, please, I'd like that."

"Okay, but not the box, that's between you and me, is that OK?" Sherlock asked her, but she didn't reply, just put her arms around him, and kissed him deeply. As he laid her gently back onto the pew, following her own pressure both wondered if this is why Mary and Sherlock had their keys made in the first place.


	9. Chapter 9

When Lucy woke up she was naked under Sherlock's coat, her bare shoulders and feet were cold, and the hard pew beneath her was making her stiff. The ring on her finger felt heavy and odd, and she played with it for a moment, holding it up to the coloured light creeping through the stained glass window above her. She looked up and saw her fully clothed husband, reading one of the large family grave covers, in the little side chapel. She was sore and sticky and started to dress quickly. Abandoning her underwear as lost; she carefully pushed the remnants into Sherlock's coat pocket.

"Did you mean what you said earlier?" he asked, without turning round, his voice carrying across the empty chapel.

"About having to reupholster the bench", she looked at the ruined plush velvet under her, "yes, I think we'll have to."

He smiled; "No" he turned as she finished tying her boots, and walked towards him, "about getting John his own ring?"

Slipping her hand through his arm, and reading the inscription he had been looking at, "Yes, of course. I think it's a wonderful idea." She smiled as he played with his own ring, feeling the weight of the gold band on his finger.

"When we go back to London I'll get mine copied" He said, "and inscribed. Do you want me to have your inscription changed?"

"No I like wearing Mary's ring" she gave him a big smile "and I'll pay, for the ring and the inscription. You get it copied, and I'll pay. Then it's from both of us."

She read the inscription again

_Hic__ ecce quos fecit amor in hoc cappella._

_Maria__ Russell Holmes MDCCCXCV – MCMXLVI_

"Here lies one who loved this chapel?" Sherlock asked her

"Erm no" she giggles, "Bury me here, please"

He looked at her, "not at Blengindale, or in Dublin?" he asked

"Read the inscription again, you did Latin at school."

"Oh, fecit amor" he smiled "Here lies one who made love in this chapel? Yes, far more appropriate, I wonder why she and Sherlock aren't buried together?"

"Why don't you think they are?"

"There is a horrid grey slab outside, Mycroft used to bring me here as a child and make me look at, scared me witless my own grave lying out there."

"The inscription actually reads," See here those who made love in this chapel". They are buried together; I guess there must be a story behind Sherlock's double grave."

"Do you think Simon would bury all three of us here?"

"Horrid thought, come on we should get back to the house before we're missed" She waited while he pulled his coat back on and adjusted his scarf. "I've been thinking maybe we shouldn't get the pew reupholstered"

"No?"

"No I think we need should buy a bed".

Sherlock smiled and put his hand into his pocket to retrieve his chapel key.

"Hey, why is there underwear in my pockets?"


	10. Chapter 10

Diner that evening was another formal affair Mycroft and Mummy sat at either end of the table Katherine to Mycroft's right and Sherlock to his left. Lucy sat to his left with Simon opposite and Junior next to her. Sherrinford sat opposite Junior and Mrs Hudson and John took the last two seats, Mrs Hudson to Violets right and John to her left.

The meal was as normal as a Holmes family meal ever gets, Junior and Simon sing and smile brightly, Mrs Hudson chatters on about her soaps, and Sherrinford gets slowly sloshed. The food is delicious and Katherine is explaining to Lucy and Sherlock about the plans she and the cook had made for New Year's Eve. Neither is listening, because both are aware of 3 pairs of eyes on them.

John their beloved John hadn't managed to catch 2 words with either of them since breakfast, and he couldn't help but stare at them. They were beautiful and ethereal, with intelligence far beyond anything John had come across before. They sat away from him, on the opposite side of the table and his eyes were transfixed, they seemed not to notice him, smiling at some in joke between them, and he was glad of the time to study them silently. Neither had touched the wine offered with the meal, instead had sat sipping water from crystal tumblers. He realised while he sat musing, savouring the game pie in front of his, they were both eating, both eating a lot.

Violet, The Dowager Lady Holmes, could see her youngest son and his wife clearly from her position. She had noticed there was something different about them when she and Mycroft had spotted them walking into the garden from the woodland path. They had both watched the couple walk arm and arm, and their planning meeting regarding an ex-Soviet missile silo in Kazakhstan, had been placed on hold. Violet had spotted their gait first of all, and had informed Mycroft that they had just engaged in intercourse, a fact he could have done without. They were happy and joking with each other, and as Mycroft stared he realised the last time he'd seen them like this together was while they were still at University.

Mycroft had watched them and looked at his Matriarch in confusion.

"Well, what's your deduction?" she asked him

"If I hadn't watched them marry 10 years ago via CCTV, I'd say newlyweds?" He told her, his voice intrigued.

When they had sat down to dinner, their matching wedding bands worn obviously on the third fingers on their left hands, Mycroft and Violet had shared a look. It was obvious to them that the rest of the family hadn't noticed. There was a silent question that passed between them, of what was going on?

After dessert but before coffee, Mycroft made his move.

"I wonder if I could as for your assistance for moment?" He asked Sherlock, and the staff cleared the table for coffee. Sherlock looked across the table towards John, but Mycroft interrupted again. "This really is something I think Lucy and yourself would be best suited to help me with. It won't take long" His tone was measured but his eyes showed Sherlock a flash of warning. However it was Lucy who replied.

"Of course Mycroft dear, we'll be happy to help you" she smiled, at him, and with a brief wave to John, and kiss for each of her boys. She followed the brothers Holmes out of the dining room and through the maze of corridors to Sherlock's study.

He showed them through, and carefully locked the door behind them taking the key and placing it in the desk draw. He then went and rested against the desk facing them.

"I'm sure I don't need to tell you why I've asked you here" Mycroft started, "So I will come straight out with it, what happened this morning?"

Lucy and Sherlock exchanged a look, and then burst out laughing.

"Well, Fatcroft, when a Mummy and Daddy love each other very much" Sherlock started

"Not the mechanics" Mycroft interrupted

"I don't think it's of any concern of yours, or your bloody mother." Lucy snapped but realised too late she'd gone too far. Mycroft stepped forward and as fast as a snake strike, grabbed her left wrist and painfully yanked her towards him.

Sherlock made a noise of protest his eyes raking up Lucy's flushed and pained face. "You're hurting her?"

"I'm assured she likes it" Mycroft countered, examining Lucy's wedding ring as if it wasn't attached to the arm or person he was currently holding. "Our great-grandmothers wedding ring." He commented

"You knew she had it" Sherlock countered "that can't be a surprise"

"No" he studied his brother "But to my knowledge neither of you have worn you're rings on any occasion apart from the odd case, yet here you are sporting them proudly" he shook Lucy slightly and she mewed "I would like to know the reason behind it".

"I….I…" Lucy started, but there was a popping sound and she stifled a cry as her wrist came out of joint.

"Enough Mycroft" Sherlock snapped "There is nothing wrong, we decided we needed a symbol of our relationship, and as it happens we have one"

"And Doctor Watson?"

"If John agrees, we will have a ring made for him when we return to London" Sherlock breathed out in a rush as Mycroft pulled Lucy to him.

He liked that she didn't snivel he hated that so many people under duress snivelled like little children. He carefully smoothed out her wrist like expert in torture he was, then ran his hands down the joint like sensualist he denied himself to be.

"Why does it bother you so much Myc?" Sherlock asked him "What I do? What we do? Why do you feel you need to intrude?"

"I worry about you constantly, brother" Mycroft explained gently pushing Lucy back towards her husband, "You seem to engineer your life in a way to cause maximum harm to those around you, I will never stop being bothered by the things you do."

"But he's fine" Lucy gasped "we're fine, we're happy."

Sherlock looked at her "Are you?"

She smiled and kissed him "Yes, yes I really am."

* * *

><p><strong>Hey MyriadProBold, Diva, whadda you think? Slightly happier?<strong>

**LOL**

**Jas xx**


	11. Chapter 11

That night after they'd put the boys to bed, Sherlock and Lucy led John back to their bedroom. With Lucy whispering in his ear that they had something to ask him, he was gently guided to edge of the bed, and told to sit. With Lucy's hands and arms draped around his shoulders, and her chin resting on his good left shoulder, he was faced by a serious looking Sherlock.

"What's going on?" The Doctor asked slightly alarmed.

"John" Lucy murmured into his ear, making his shoulders relax, and his pupils dilate slightly.

"Lucy and I have been talking" Sherlock started, "and we feel that we would like some formality in our relationship."

John met his eyes quizzically; "I'm sorry, but unless Mycroft's going to make an exception, Polygamy isn't legal in this country" he told them laughingly.

"It's legal in Afghanistan" Lucy suddenly countered, earning a sharp look from both men.

"No, but there are things we can do." Sherlock explained, he met his lovers' eyes, "If you're willing, that is."

"Erm, look I'm confused. Why the sudden change? We've been fine for ages, has something happened?"

Lucy and Sherlock exchanged looks, "John I've been really sad" Lucy said suddenly , causing him to look at her, "really really sad".

He took her hand, but looked at Sherlock, "When you say sad? What exactly do you mean?" he sounded serious and worried

"Suicidal" Sherlock supplied, "The other night I found her…"

"Enough, I don't want to know" John snapped, "What do you propose?"

Sherlock quirked his lips, and came and knelt in front of John, "well now you bring it up".

"Oh Sherlock you said I could do it this time" Lucy complained.

"Do what?" John asked

"Ask you to wear our ring?" They both supplied

"We both have wedding rings" Sherlock explained "and Lucy and I have decided we will wear them from now on" he showed him his gold band.

"So if you agree we'll have a matching ring made for you as well" Lucy explained

"Okay" John nodded slowly "I'm fine with that, but will it help? Is it that simple?"

"I want to be genuinely part of the family, part of the relationship" Lucy told him, "You and Sherlock are in love, and Sherlock and I are married, I want to cement us as a group. This seems like a good start."

"We've been looking up other options all day as well." Sherlock explained getting up and sitting on the bedroom chair opposite John. "There are a number of non-conventional religious sects who would perform a non-legal ceremony, we can do lots of legal documentation making us mutual next of kin, so if anything was to happen the other two could continue on together, and of course there are pre-relationship contracts that we could engage."

"You've been very thorough" John laughed.

"So what do you say?" Lucy asked nibbling on his ear, "Will you marry us?"

"God yes."


	12. Chapter 12

"Hey John"

"Hmmmm Sherlock, go to sleep"

"But John?"

"It's 4 in the morning, go to sleep"

"Johnnnnnn?"

"No"

"Lu?"

"Leave her alone as well Sherlock, it's 4am, GO TO SLEEP"

"But Johnnnn?"

"John I'm going to smother him in a minute"

"I know, Sherlock, GO TO SLEEP!"

"But John?"

"WHAT, what is it Sherlock? It's 4am, I'm tired, I'm sore, our children are going to be awake in 2hrs and then I'm going to have to face breakfast with your mother having spent the most of tonight thrumming you and our wife, what can you possibly want?"

"I love you"

"Sherlock I swear to John, I'm going to kill you if you don't shut up"

"OK"

"John?"

"Oh Gods above Lucy WHAT?"

"Thrumming?"

* * *

><p><strong>Really I wanted to write a proper chapter, but I've realized the answer is to write little and often. Anyway it made me laugh!<strong>

**LOL**

**Jas xx**


	13. Chapter 13

After dinner Sherlock was reading in the library, and John who'd got bored listening to Mrs Hudson's continued lectures of the merits of British Soap Operas, had come to find him.

"What are you reading?" John asked running his hand up this lovers inner leg, "You've spent every passing moment in here?"

Sherlock looked over his book at him, "Isn't it normally me that complains you're being boring?"

"I'm not complaining, I'm just interested"

"Bee's"

"Bee's again, why is it always bees?"

"I think their interesting, they have a whole civilisation, we can barely understand"

"Hmm"

"John, I'm busy go and find Lucy, I'm sure she'll entertain you."

"Do you know where she is?"

"Its 6pm, I assume she's putting the boys to bed."

John left the library and walked through the quiet house, his footsteps echoing loudly, until he reached the carpeted third floor which contained the Holmes Nursery and the bedroom Simon and Junior were sharing. As he walked along the corridor he heard soft singing, listening carefully he heard a tune he didn't recognise, and words he couldn't place. He stood outside the door for a while listening to the strange song. After a few moments the strange song finished, and John was about to push open the door, when he heard Simon's voice.

"Mamma?"

"Fear Beag?"

"Why don't you sing to us every night?"

"Cén fáth nach bhfuil tú ag canadh le linn gach oíche?"

"Cén fáth nach bhfuil tú ag canadh le linn gach oíche?" Simon repeated

"Because this is our little secret, darling"

"Mamma?" Junior asked

"Leanaí leanbh?"

"Rúnda" the tot shouted

"Tá sé é"

John listened as she spoke to them in the odd language, the children replying to her, their high pitched voices making the strange words carry past him. He stood in the corridor for what seemed like an hour, caught between wonder that they had a secret life hidden away from him, and concern that such a massive secret, a whole language could be so well kept in a household that contained Sherlock Holmes.

Finally he heard Lucy moving about, and realised she was tucking the children in to bed.

"One more Mamma" Junior trilled

"Aris?" Simon called

"Ar ndóigh, mo pháistí" Lucy soothed, and then started singing again.

"Ar an sciatháin na gaoithe o'er an domhain dorcha rollta  
>Angels atá ag teacht chun féachaint ar o'er dod codlata<br>Angels atá ag teacht chun féachaint thar dhuit  
>Mar sin, liosta chun an ghaoth ag teacht thar sáile<p>

Éist leis an grá buille gaoithe, éisteacht leis an buille gaoithe  
>Lean thar do cheann agus an buille gaoithe éisteacht<p>

Oh, gaotha an oíche is féidir, do Fury a chrosáil  
>Féadfaidh aon duine a bhfuil Is daor ar ár oileán a bheith caillte<br>Séid na gaotha go réidh, calma a bheith ar an cúr  
>Shine an solas geala agus iad a threorú ar ais sa bhaile<p>

Éist leis an grá buille gaoithe, éisteacht leis an buille gaoithe  
>Lean thar do cheann agus an buille gaoithe éisteacht<p>

An curacha ag seoltóireacht mbealach amach ar an gorm  
>Ualaithe le scadán de lí silvery<br>Silver an scadán agus airgead na farraige  
>Agus go luath beidh a bheith ann airgid do leanbh agus mé<p>

Éist leis an grá buille gaoithe, éisteacht leis an buille gaoithe  
>Lean thar do cheann agus an buille gaoithe éisteacht<p>

An curacha Beidh amárach seasamh ar an gcladach  
>Agus téann daidí seoltóireacht, a seoltóireachta nach bhfuil níos mó<br>Beidh an líonta a thriomú, an spéir líonta bheannaithe  
>Agus sábháilte i mo daor arm, contented beidh sé scíth a ligean"<p>

"Goodnight Mamma" the children called

"Codladh maith le mo pháistí lómhara" Lucy hushed them, walking to the door and turning off the light.

As he heard this John stepped back from the door swiftly, so that when Lucy crept out of the door and turned, she saw him walking towards her down the corridor.

"You OK sweetie?" She asked him.

"Yes" he lied, smiling "I was just coming to find you"

"Oh I was putting the boys to bed, I'm coming downstairs now"

As they turned and walked back down to the corridor, John stared at the slim woman in front of him, just when he thought he'd grasped her, she turns around and surprises him again.

* * *

><p><strong>As you know I have base Lucy on my own wife, the main difference is that whereas my Lucy is Welsh, Sherlock and John's is Irish. When I started this I was writing in Welsh, but obviously that was wrong so I've used Google Translate to swap the Welsh into Irish Gaelic. The other change is Ar Hyd Y Nos, has been changed to the Connemara Lullaby. It's a lovely song and you should listen to it if you have never heard it.<strong>

**So here is a rough translation:**

**Connemara Lullaby**

**On the wings of the wind o'er the dark rolling deep**  
><strong> Angels are coming to watch o'er thy sleep<strong>  
><strong> Angels are coming to watch over thee<strong>  
><strong> So list to the wind coming over the sea<strong>

** Hear the wind blow love, hear the wind blow**  
><strong> Lean your head over and hear the wind blow<strong>

** Oh, winds of the night, may your fury be crossed**  
><strong> May no one who's dear to our island be lost<strong>  
><strong> Blow the winds gently, calm be the foam<strong>  
><strong> Shine the light brightly and guide them back home<strong>

** Hear the wind blow love, hear the wind blow**  
><strong> Lean your head over and hear the wind blow<strong>

** The currachs are sailing way out on the blue**  
><strong> Laden with herring of silvery hue<strong>  
><strong> Silver the herring and silver the sea<strong>  
><strong> And soon there'll be silver for baby and me<strong>

** Hear the wind blow love, hear the wind blow**  
><strong> Lean your head over and hear the wind blow<strong>

** The currachs tomorrow will stand on the shore**  
><strong> And daddy goes sailing, a sailing no more<strong>  
><strong> The nets will be drying, the nets heaven blessed<strong>  
><strong> And safe in my arms dear, contented he'll rest<strong>

**Fear Beag= Little Man**

**"Cén fáth nach bhfuil tú ag canadh le linn gach oíche?"= Why don't you sing to us every night?**

**"Leanaí leanbh?"= Baby Child**

**"Rúnda"= Secret**

**"Tá sé é"= Yes it is**

**"Aris?"= Again?**

**"Ar ndóigh, mo pháistí"= Of course my precious children.**


	14. Chapter 14

Lucy was sat at the scrubbed wooden table in the servants dining hall reading a seed catalogue. It was 4 in the afternoon and she was technically playing hide and seek. However as nobody had found her in almost an hour of hiding. As she was pouring over the new season flower seeds, she became aware of the sound of loud giggling coming down the stairs. The two young women who served as general dogsbodies for the house we're chatting and laughing animatedly as they wandered into the long room.

"Hiya" Lucy called waving

"Hiding again?" the oldest girl asked, her name was Marcella and she and Lucy had become friendly during the latter's imprisonment at the Holmes Manor the year before.

"Yep!" Lucy laughed "What's so funny?"

"Oh June and I" Marcella pointed at the other girl, "are going to an eighties school disco tonight"

Lucy snorted, "What really with the hair and clothes and everything?"

"Yeah" Marcella giggled again "Want to come?"

June made a warning noise, but the other two women ignored her.

"Is it a ticket event?"

"No cash on the door" June spat, "it's only a little club in the pub"

Lucy smirked at the class warfare in front of her. "I'll think about it then" she smiled at the girls with her wide sharks smile, already planning her next move, "now if you'll excuse me I have to find my sons."

Lucy didn't go and find her sons though, she went and found Katherine. Sober and happy she felt she needed to offer some kind of truce to her sister in law. After-all Katherine did genuinely love her boys, and John held her in great regard. Katherine had been sitting in the orangery playing on her blackberry, and she looked up when Lucy came barging in.

"Come on Katherine, we're going shopping" Lucy announced

"Pardon?" the demure government agent asked

"Come on Katherine, Mycroft and Violet are planning world domination, the boys are playing with Mrs Hudson, John and Sherlock are well John and Sherlock, come shopping with me." She smiled.

Slowly the smile is returned "Really?"

"Yeah, there's a party tonight an 8's school disco, come with me."

Katherine looked unsure again "A Party? I don't know if Mycroft..."

"No Holmes' allowed!" Lucy decided, "We'll kidnap John, but otherwise just you and I". She smiled again "When was the last time you went to a party for yourself? University? School? Never?"

Katherine looked unsure for a moment and then matched the smile, "Ok you're on"

After an hour of wandering around the shops buying brightly coloured hair ties, hairspray, a particularly garish rara skirt from a charity shop, and buckets of garish make-up, Lucy and Katherine were giggling like schoolgirls.

"So have you decided what you are going to wear?" Katherine asked her

Lucy was looking at a display of Mascara in Claire's accessories about to reply when a song came over the radio. She stopped to listen for a second, before turning to her sister-in-law.

"I do now"

As they hurried out of the store, and towards the Volvo, Katherine paused to listen to the song now playing throughout the shop.

"Vogue by Madonna."


	15. Chapter 15

John had no idea what was going on, he had received a secret message from Lucy half an hour ago, and now dressed ridiculously he was following the snowy path down from the Holmes manor and towards the village. He read the note again and chuckled.

_Dearest John_

_Katherine and I invite you to join us on an 80's adventure._

_Dress appropriately and meet us in The Fox and Hounds._

_DO NOT TELL THE HOLMES'._

_L x_

It was freezing cold and he shivered in his strange outfit, glad he'd forgone his planned brogues for more practical British Army Desert Combat boots. Aware he looked foolish he had a moment of panic as he walked towards the pub, what if this was some freaky Holmes' wind-up. No he thought they don't have that sort of humour.

When he walked to the pub he could hear 80's music and giggling. He smiled as he realised this was no wind up; there were loads of people milling around in various states of costume. A whole gaggle of girls were dressed as St Trinian's girls and for the briefest of moments John wondered if he would find Lucy and Katherine among that group. He followed the naughty schoolgirls into the pubs function room, suddenly feeling old, as he realised that most of these women hadn't been born in the 1980's, let alone at school. After they had shuffled through he handed his £5 note over to the giggling girl behind a pasting table who held his had carefully, running a false nail along his wrist, before stamping his hand with a blue ink spot. She smiled and slipped him her number as he walked into the room.

Suddenly feeling a lot sexier, John looked around the room for the girls. He found his way to the bar and bought a bottle of Bud, leaning on the wooden bar he surveyed the room. He smiled at the strangely dressed crowd, and the tacky music, but with a jolt he realised he couldn't see Lucy or Katherine. When he'd left the house Lucy's Volvo was missing so he knew they'd left before him, but thinking back he hadn't spotted it in the car park. Where were they?

Girls kept coming up and hitting on him, but he didn't see anyone he recognised. Halfway through his second Bud, he saw a face he recognised. The girl was wearing a tiny mini-skirt and a jacket with Massive shoulder pads, he smiled and she waved coming over to him.

"John?"

"Yeah hiya, its Marcie isn' it? From the house?"

"Yes" she smiled "Oh My God! You look so hot" she turned behind her "hey June"

Another girl John vaguely recognised hurried over.

"OH SHUT UP" this strange girl shouted "You're the Holmes boyfriend, but you look SO HOT!"

John smiled, "I don't suppose you've seen Lucy and Katherine?"

"Erm no sorry mate, but if you want to swap your allegiance, June and I are always about."

He went back to the bar, and ordered a third Bud. He brought it up to his lips and stopped. A beautifully tailored suit had walked in, the thin occupant was surveying the scene with a haughty stare, and he swallowed hard.

"Sherlock?" he called and the suited stranger turned to him, and smiled

"John!" The stranger called and waved, as did the tall girl standing beside them, dressed in a pink rara skirt, high hairdo and lace gloves also waved. As they walked towards him, he realised, he recognised the suit, he recognised the shirt, but the tall stiletto heels were not Sherlock's.

"Lucy?"

She twirled and laughed "What do you think John? Do I pass?"

He blond hair was pulled into a tight bun and held with hairspray, she wore a black tie around her slim throat but the collar of the shirt was open, showing the cleft between her breasts, Sherlock's suit trousers hung lightly at her wide hips, and she towered above him in her heels.

"Is that Sherlock's suit?"

"Yep, are you from Miami Vice?"

"Yep" he motioned down at his wide white suit jacket, with its rolled sleeves, blue Hawaiian shirt, tight jeans and boots. Also his jelled and styled hair.

"Oh dear God" Katherine suddenly said, laughing out loud "Is that?"

"Yep" he said proudly

"What?" Lucy asked

"That's Mycroft's foreign office jacket" Katherine giggled.


	16. Chapter 16

Several hours later Mycroft was still in his study, working hard on the resignation speech of a junior minister. He was therefore angry and disturbed when his brother barged in without an invite, fixing him with a less than smooth glare, he snapped.

"What do you want Sherlock, I'm busy"

"Do you know where Katherine is?"

Whatever Mycroft was expecting it wasn't that, he assessed his brother, made his deduction.

"What's happened, exactly?"

Sherlock explained, he had been reading in the library when Simon had come to him, and asked if anyone was going to put him and Junior to bed. Sherlock had been confused and had wandered around the house looking for John or Lucy. In the end he'd put the children to bed, carefully tucking them up and then read to them till they slept.

He then went outside and discovered Lucy's Volvo was missing, on questioning Mrs Hudson he had discovered Lucy and Katherine had spent the afternoon together, and now at approaching 2am he wanted to know if Mycroft knew where their errant spouses were.

"So you brother have lost 2 spouses, were I am apparently down one?" Mycroft smirked.

"It's late My, it's really late and it's snowing hard and they don't know the area, help me find them."

"Sherlock" Mycroft soothed, "they are three highly trained individuals I'm sure they're fine"

"My" Sherlock begged, "My please"

"Okay" Mycroft conceded "Okay if you are that worried, we'll take the estate LandRover and drive down to the village, I'm sure they'll just be at the pub."

At 1am the disco had finished, and the pub had emptied out onto the street. Lucy, John and Katherine, had been drinking steadily and were slightly giggly as they walked into the car park.

"Erm, you are not driving, Lu" John had informed her

"No, I'm gonna phone a cab, but it's cold and I have a coat in the car" she said brandishing the car key.

"Hey Kate, come 'ere" John called to the other woman, as she followed the wrong group of people through the darkened car park,

"John?" She asked "John I'm cold!"

Lucy cried in triumph as the car unlocked, crawling into the back seat she pulled out a pile of coats and blankets, throwing them unsteadily at her companions.

"Warmy Blanks" she shouted giggling

John sighed, wrapping a Peppa Pig blanket around his cold shoulders, picking up his mobile he started dialling the number of the cab he'd picked up in the pub.

Katherine gasped as she pulled a cardigan around herself "No John no"

"What ish it?" Lucy slurred

"He, you we, we can't phone a crab" she shivered, and Lucy draped a blanket over both their shoulders.

"Why?" John asked

"Violet will know I'm drunk"

"So?" Lucy asked tartly

"I I can't she'll she'll"

"Kate are you scared of Violet?"

"Yes!"

"John, John we need to sort Kate out" Lucy pranced in front of him, "She's scared of Vile Violet"

"erm well you know Lu, you know erm"

"NO! Not you John, not you as well!"

Katherine coughed "Actually Lucy, you're the only person we know that isn't, even Mycroft and Sherlock are, and Sherrinford is terrified of her"

Lucy puffed out her chest; locking the car she knocked the phone from John's hand. "Come on then, come on I'm not scared of Violet, tell you what I'll walk all the way back up to the house and tell her that myself."

After about half-an-hour John was freezing, Lucy had discovered that walking in thick snow wearing stiletto heels had been a poor idea, and Katherine was starting to hallucinate. John had picked Lucy up and now carried her, and Katherine was being dragged in an uncomfortable piggy back. He was glad he was drunk, because otherwise he kept thinking, this would be impossible. He was glad he'd abandoned the footpath they were going to negotiate in favour of the longer but more easily followed driveway. The snow lay lighter and less slippery, and he could at least gain some purchase regardless of the two women slowing his progress.

He suddenly became aware of a LandRover coming up behind them, he'd heard enough over the years to pick it out from the other sounds surrounding him. He stepped deftly to one side off the road, and fell heavily dropping the two women. Amongst their squeals he heard the vehicle stop, and a familiar voice shout.

"John? John are you OK?"

All he could do in reply was giggle.

An hour later after Lucy and John had showered, and changed, and curled up with Sherlock in bed, and Mycroft had taken Katherine to their own room, to warm up. Lucy started giggling over and over again.

"What?" Sherlock asked, rubbing her cold hands where she was hugging his chest

"Sherlock guess what?"

"What?"

"I'm not scared of your mother!"

"No?"

"Nope" she nuzzled his neck with her cold nose, "John is, and Kate is, and Mycroft is and you are but Sherlock!" She licked his ear and cuddled him closer, "I'M NOT!"

"No sweetheart you're not" Sherlock whispered back, "you really really aren't".


	17. Chapter 17

"When are we going back to Baker Street?" John asked the next morning

"You and Sherlock are going on New Year's Day I believe, the boys and I will join you, erm, sometime" she replied testing her shoe on the bedroom floor.

"Lucy" John used his warning tone, "you are coming home aren't you?"

"Yes" she flustered "Oh yes of course John, it's just?"

"What!" he snapped

"Sherlock told Lestrade he'd be back on New Year's Day, and I have to return the Volvo to the estate. Knowing Daddy, we'll be a few days."

"The boys?"

"Simon starts back a week on Monday, I've sent the Nanny home to Sweden, and I don't have to start back at work till the week after next."

"So you're going to hide at Blengindale for the foreseeable future?" he asked furrowing his brow "Have we done something wrong?"

There was a pregnant pause, followed by the sound of Sherlock emerging from the en-suite bathroom. Whilst drying his hair, he fixed them with his steely gaze.

"You're still jealous of the Canadian?" he asked

"Huh?" John sighed

"NO!" Lucy spat, chucking her shoe at him.

"You are" Sherlock teased

"Not jealous, no" Lucy conceded "upset at her continued existence, maybe"

"Who is the Canadian?" John asked

"Sir Herbert's girlfriend" Sherlock explained, laying out his clothes on the bed.

"She is NOT his girlfriend" Lucy pouted, earning a kiss from John. "She is a tart and a whore and a gold digger"

"Jealous" Sherlock teased again "you want to stay at Blengindale to get in between them don't you"

"Yes" Lucy whispered into her shirt

"What was that?" John teased, tickling her

"Yes, OK Yes, I want to stay at home to keep the Gold digger from Daddy"

"Why?" John asked

"Because he's supposed to love ME! I'm the only woman he's supposed to love since Mummy died, just me nobody else!" she shouted

"You are aware that makes you sound like a spoilt child"

"She is a spoilt child!" Sherlock laughed, pulling on his trousers.

After breakfast John and Lucy were sat in the orangery, helping Simon with his homework.

"What's wrong with her?" John asked

"Who?"

"The Canadian?"

"Oh, nothing, really nothing. She's young, and pretty and Canadian"

"So why are you jealous?"

"Oh" she laughed "Daddy and I have been a team since Mummy died, then Simon came along and he was part of our team, then Junior. However now Daddy has brought in this, this, woman and I don't know where I fit anymore." She frowned "I just don't like her"

"What about us?"

"Huh?"

"Sherlock and I where do we fit in your team?"

"Oh, oh" she looked at him, and he nearly laughed as he saw the realisation in her eyes "you are my team!"

"Yes" he took her hand, "you aren't alone any more, you don't need to infantilize yourself anymore, we can be a new team, and we are your family"

She smiled widely "of course"

"That hadn't occurred to you had it?"

She shook her head, then looking across at Simon, she smiled brightly.

"You're my family"

"Yes" he laughed at the innocence in her face "Your Dad is still your Dad, but he has his own life, just like Mycroft, although God knows he thinks his life is our life, and Kate and Violet and Sherrinford and Mrs Hudson are all part of our family, our team, if I or Sherlock were to bring home a strange Canadian women you are allowed to get jealous, but Lucy?"

"Yes" she asked wide eyed.

"I assure you that's never going to happen."


	18. Chapter 18

Before dinner Violet called Sherlock and Mycroft into her office, and made them sit facing her.

"I want to talk to you about tomorrow" she smiled pleasantly, reminding Sherlock of his own 'pleasant' smile. "As you both know I pride myself on my New Year's Party, and I will not have your petty squabbles to ruin it."

Sherlock and Mycroft stared at each other.

"We've been getting on fine, Mummy, it will be fine" Mycroft soothed

"And your….erm…..spouses?" she asked

"I assure you Mummy, Dr Watson is a delightful man, of benefit to any party, and he will do fine."

"And Lucille and Katherine?"

"Are getting on like a house on fire" Sherlock added.

"I don't care, I will not be embarrassed, and if I have to lock you all in separate rooms and fain some kind of terrible disease which has befallen you all, I will do"

She pointed a letter opener at them.

"What do you want us to do then Mummy?" Mycroft asked, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"I am led to understand you had some kind of bet which led to Sherlock staying here, throughout the holiday."

"Yes" they both cautiously answered

"I am going to raise the stakes" she told them smiling, "if you or any of your 'spouses'" she added with vehemence, "upset my carefully, yearlong planned, New Year's Ball. I will keep you here indefinitely"

"What?" they looked at each other, then back at their mother.

"Mummy, you can't do that." Mycroft announced

"I can and I will" she pulled out a piece of paper from her desk. "You want me to elaborate Sherlock?"

"I….yes go on"

The matriarch smiled. "This is an arrest warrant, for Doctor Watson, for a murder I am assured he committed. One taxi driver by the name of Jeffrey Hope."

Sherlock made a strangled noise, and Mummy reached into her desk draw again, bringing out three carefully sealed envelopes.

"Here are three notices of resignation, with immediate effect, you will notice how there is one for both my beloved daughter-in-laws and one, for you Mycroft dear."

Sherlock turned to look at his brother, whose own visage was murderous.

"As for you Sherlock, I have something very special for you" she pulled out a large wooden box, and some paperwork, "you see my darling boy, due to your unique sensibilities there are very few people who would mourn your passing, in fact they are all under this one roof." She smiled at him, "A likely story which will be circulated is that when Dr Watson fled from justice leaving you behind, you heartbreakingly took your own life. Your distraught wife and brother unable to live in a London without you, retired quietly to the country."

Sherlock made another strangled cry.

"Very thorough" Mycroft drawled

"Yes well I've been doing this since before you were both born" their mother told them, 2now do I have a deal regarding my party?"

"Yes Mummy" her sons both parroted.


	19. Chapter 19

**I have had a BAD week!**

**I apologise for the lack of updates this week, blame my underlings!**

On New Years Eve the family dinner was early, so that the house could be prepared for the New Year's Ball, due to start at 8pm. After Dinner everyone retired to their own rooms to get ready, except for John who was whisked off by Mycroft the moment the coffee was cleared. Lucy had decided to get changed in the boy's room, because they'd wanted to see her pretty dress and weren't allowed to go to the party, so Sherlock went back to their room alone.

Opening the wardrobe he carefully removed his suit bag, and started unpacking it. Black tuxedo, black silk waist coat, white dress shirt and black bowtie. He glared at the tie for a moment, he would wear it for Mummies sake, but the moment he could get away with it, it would go into his pocket. The waistcoat he liked the waistcoat he would wear forever. John had bought it for him on a whim when it was confirmed they were coming. He had hoped to have some time, just John and Sherlock to play with the waistcoat and not a lot else, however he could be patient.

Sherlock is a vain man, John may think he's a slob and uninterested in anything but the work, but he is as fastidious as a cat. He carefully stripped and then cleaned and polished his dress shoes. Putting a shine on them his ex-army lover would be proud of, well probably not, but certainly shiny enough for a civilian. Putting them under the radiator to dry, he then showered and washed his dark curls. Carefully drying off, he sat on the bed, disappearing into his mind palace to work out what Mycroft might want with John.

He sat there his hands and eyes travelling at lightning speed, his conscious unaware of the cold in the room, or the drops of moisture that scattered from his drying curls whenever he moved his head sharply. The bed sagged where his still damp buttocks were perched, and he leant slightly forward with his feet flat upon the floor. His skin luminous in the moonlit room, his thin skin sliding over wiry muscles, as his mind worked on a series of deductions and connections about the two people closest to him, and the way they're life together should progress.

At 8pm the alarm John had set on his phone bleeped, and Sherlock realised he was cold and sat naked in a darkened bedroom. He carefully dressed, and after quickly checking his reflection in the tall bedroom mirror, made his way through the maze of corridors to the Holmes ballroom. When he entered, classical music was playing softly, and a few people including Mummy, and Mycroft were milling around the room, but as it is deemed impolite to turn up to a formal ball early or May the gods forbid on time, this wasn't entirely surprising. Without sight of his lovers, Sherlock made his way to his mother and brother, grabbing a champagne glass as he passed a young female waitress. Stooping slightly he kissed Lady Holmes' cheek, and nodded at Mycroft.

"Oh Sherlock, you look so handsome" Violet exclaimed

"Yes I'm impressed Brother" Mycroft smiled down at him.

"Where's John?" Sherlock snapped.

"He was still getting changed when I checked on him 15minutes ago." Mycroft explained, looking off into the middle distance, apparently fascinated by the Christmas Decorations.

"But where?" Sherlock whined

"We thought you'd like to get changed separately Sherlock, dear" Violet told him, cutting off any further argument she added "you remember our little deal, don't you dear?"

"Yes Mummy"

"Right so when your brother tells you Dr Watson, and I noticed you didn't ask, both my daughter-in-laws will be arriving in the ballroom before very much longer, you will not argue. Understood?"

"Yes Mummy"

"And Mycroft"

"Yes Mummy?"

"That goes for you as well"

* * *

><p>John had been disturbed when Mycroft had led him up to the main guest wing at the far side of the house just after dinner. He had to fight the feeling he was carefully following the most dangerous man he knew to a terrible death. Finally they got to a plain wooden door, John looked at Mycroft.<p>

"It's a bedroom door?"

"Excellent Deduction Dr Watson." Mycroft drawled "It is indeed a bedroom"

John stared at him "What do you want Mycroft?"

The older man pushed the door open and gestured John to enter. He smiled, and John found himself ushered inside a sumptuous guest bedroom, much nicer than Sherlock's room.

"What is going on Mycroft?" John asked much more urgency.

"My dear Dr Watson, there is no need to be so alarmed, I have simply changed your planned Tuxedo for tonight, to something I think you'll feel much more comfortable in." He gestured to the suit bag hanging on the wardrobe.

John opened the bag, and his mouth dropped, he stared at Mycroft. "Really?"

The older Holmes just smiled, "Think of it as a present for my Brother" with a wink he closed the door, leaving John and his suit bag alone in the empty bedroom.

* * *

><p>Lucy had carefully dressed in a white silk teddy and white stockings, had curled her blond hair loosely, expertly applied her makeup and was removing her dress from its suit bag when the door to the boy's bedroom knocked. Simon, who had been instrumental in curling his mother's hair, was now sat on his bed, carefully unpacking her shoes from their tissue paper filled box.<p>

"Door Mamma" Junior chimed happily from under a pile of tissue paper and paper underwear boxes.

"Yes sweetie" Lucy ruffled his baby soft curls "Simon be a darling"

Simon jumped off his bed and wandered across the room to the door, while his mother slipped her silk dressing gown on, and tied the belt around her waist. He opened it with the sombre expression his father kept for annoying clients.

"OH" he squealed with delight "Aunty Katherine!"

"Hello, Simon" she patted him on the head, "I came to see you're Mummy"

Katherine stood on the threshold of the room, her chestnut hair glowing in the light from the hallway. She was wearing a scarlet floor length halter neck ball gown, and tall Rupert Sanderson Harper Suede Pumps. Simon ushered her in, and Lucy turned to her and fixed her with what she hoped was a sisterly smile, aware that she had literally no idea whether it was or not.

"What can I do for you Katherine?" she asked her

"I came to see what you're wearing"

"It's too late if we clash, Kate, its 8.30pm, on New Year's Eve, the party has already started, and it's too late to change."

"Oh" Katherine frowned "I was….just interested."

Three sets of eyes locked on her.

"Really?"

"Yes Mycroft's already downstairs, he told me I should join him at about 9, and I knew you were here getting changed, so I came to see"

Three pairs of eyes continued to stare.

"Mummy?" Simon asked "Is this one of those normal people things Uncle John always goes on about?"

"I think so darling, I think so"

Almost 45 minutes later, with the children safely tucked up in bed, and both sisters-in-law fully dressed, they left the nursery and started walking through the house.

"You know you looked beautiful" Lucy suddenly said.

"Thank you" Katherine beamed "I have to just say, that dress is amazing"

"Do you really think so?"

"I think Sherlock and John will think their luck has come in"

"Kate, darling?" Lucy smiled "It has"


	20. Chapter 20

At quarter past 9 Sherlock glanced at the large clock in the ballroom, wondering what had happened to John. A number of dancers had taken to the floor, and Mycroft and Mummy were networking spectacularly. He had spent a long time avoiding anyone in the room, until Mummy had come and told him in no uncertain terms that he would be behaving nicely and talking to her guests.

He was glaring at the second cellist who had been carrying on with the first violinist, when he was aware that the room had suddenly hushed. He looked at his mother, glamorous as usual in a black satin floor-length ball gown, but she was looking daggers and him. They both turned their heads at the same time watching the same site that everyone in the room, including the orchestra, was now watching. Descending the stairs into the ballroom, were too beautiful visions, one Sherlock recognised was Mycroft's Katherine. Dressed in a scarlet halter neck ball gown and matching heels, she descended hand in hand with her slightly taller but no less lovely companion, who for a moment Sherlock didn't recognise.

Staring hard the second girl looked familiar, there was a feeling he'd seen her before, and as he stared he had an image of the ballroom before, he saw the same girl, the same dress and then he shook his head and cursed.

"Lucy" he whispered under his breath

They were still slowly descending the steps, and Sherlock walked towards his brother and mother as they came towards them, through the now re-animating crowd. As the two women came to a halt in front of Violet they gave a small curtsey each, and gave her a kiss each.

"Oh girls" Violet enthused "you look lovely, I'm so very proud of you" She then turned away and started talking to a tall man on her left. Mycroft whisked his darling Katherine away leaving Sherlock and Lucy alone.

A few inches taller than him in her white Jimmi Choo heels, he looked up at her, taking in her carefully applied make up and curled blond hair. Then he took in the dress. Ivory and halter necked with a diamond star cut belt, and silver flame threading up the flared dressed. She looked ravishing, and strangely innocent and nervous as she smiled won at him. Her lips for once closed as her mouth quirked, unsure whether he was amused or not.

"Is that?" he started to say and then faltered "I mean…is it…is that…I...I"

"Yes" she smiled "yes it's the same dress"

He took her hand and gently spun her around, exposing her back to his gaze. The dress re-joined midway from the low waist belt, and immediately started to flare into the full skirt. He could see by the way the satin moved she was wearing an all-in-one teddy and as she was spun back to face him he gently ran is hand down her flank, feeling the uneven material below. Sherlock drew her towards him and kissed her fully on the mouth, she shuddered slightly under his touch, and they were both transported back ten years to the same event a decade before.

In this same ballroom ten years earlier the 2 drug addicts were introduced as Mr and Mrs Holmes for the first time nearly 4 months since the birth of their son, accompanied by Sir Herbert they were allowed to visit Lady Holmes for the first time, as part of a master plan to keep them in-check. Still ill and dangerously thin, they'd made little impression on the assembled throng. Staying miserable and close together on the fringes of the room. The dress had been made by Lucy's talented nurse to show off her frame to its best advantage, and in ivory satin to show her status as a new bride. Sherlock had been forced into an uncomfortable and slightly too large tuxedo that night, and without even the comfort of alcohol they had sat in silence guarded by an unsubtle Mycroft.

One of Lady Holmes' guests however had recognised the sullen younger son and inferred that the wraithlike creature beside him must have been the much discussed fecund bride, who had brought forward a Holmes heir just months into the quiet family marriage. Well that was the story put about by both families anyway. The guest had chided and oblivious to her unwelcome presence cooed at the couple before finally insisting that they must dance. The couple had refused but buoyed by their charmingly coy refusal the woman had gone and announced that they would take the floor.

Unwilling to be embarrassed in front of a gloating Mycroft however Sherlock had waved off his brothers attempts to save them from such a display and had taken Lucy gently by the hand. Kissing her gently for the first time, he wrapped his protective arms around her quivering body, and danced. The room had dissolved for them, and the silent terror of their last few months of withdrawal and pain slowly ebbed away. Once again they were friends, brothers in arms against the world, nobody could touch them, and they were invincible.

Once again I each other's arms, her head resting lightly on his now filled shoulders, Lucy and Sherlock danced together unaware of the rest of the room, or even their surroundings lost in the memories of a New Year so long ago, when they had started to become the adults they now were. Moving in time with the music, the past and present folded into one so that memory and reality became skewed. Sherlock to a deep breath of her lovely honey smelling hair and closed his eyes….

… They snapped open with shock moment later when a hand rested on his shoulder. Pushing Lucy slightly away from him, he turned quickly, the flight or fight 22 year old drug addict, willing to fight anybody to protect him and his own, and looked directly into the soft brown eyes of John Watson.

John was standing in front of him with a beaming smile on his face, and Sherlock shook his head to clear the memories of a few moments before. He did it again when looking at the doctor, to ensure his vision was correct. The John Watson standing in front of him, was not encased in his usual jumper and jeans, nor in his atrocious wedding and funeral suit, he wasn't even in the tuxedo Lucy had bought him a few weeks before. Standing in front of Sherlock and Lucy and the whole Holmes ballroom, was Captain JH Watson RAMC, in full dress uniform.

"I apologise Lucy" he said smiling at her "but would you mind if I took this dance?" he asked carefully taking Sherlock's hand and leading him across the ballroom.


	21. Chapter 21

There was an odd sense of comfort enveloping him, as if within John's arms the rest of the world disappeared. He wondered if this was the feeling Junior and Simon got when Lucy hugged them, one of being completely safe and loved. As they moved he breathed in John's cent, harder than the smell of honey and berries he got from Lucy, but uniquely John. Johnson's Baby Shampoo, and lynx, and just a tang of nervous sweat and shoe polish.

"Mummy is scowling at us" Sherlock told him, his warning tone breaking the sense of safety.

"Is that a problem, she knows we're involved" John asked

"Yes, but to her guests I'm a happily married man, who is currently close dancing with his friend and colleague" Sherlock hissed.

"Sherlock it's the 21st Century, I'm sure most of them aren't homophobic, and who cares if they are, I love you?" John soothed, aware that the taller man was shaking slightly. "Sherlock, what's wrong?"

Sherlock took him by the hand and led him off the dance floor to a darkened corner, to his relief the party was in such swing that nobody spared them a second glance, but John's worried expression had been noticed, and he was aware of a white gowned figure hurrying towards them. He flashed his wife a warning look, and she stopped and returned to her previous location next to Katherine.

"John you are aware of my, arrangement, you know what I have to present to these people"

"Sherlock nobody cares!"

"She cares"

"Lucy?"

"No, I don't think Lucy gives a fig, I don't in fact think she'd raise an eyelid if we shagged right here in the ballroom." He laughed, "My mother however is a vicious harpy who has threatened us somewhat if we did something to upset her."

"Threatened US?" John asked raising his voice slightly

"Somewhat yes"

"And by us you mean?" a dangerous edge to his voice

"You, me, Lucy, Mycroft, Katherine, the boys….us"

"What exactly, did she say?" John asked, his face bright red and eyes darting "and how exactly did she threaten our children?"

Sherlock looked into his eyes, seeing the seething anger behind the soldier's eyes, making him if possible even sexier. "It was made clear, that if I were to upset the party there would be dire consequences. Which I not going to happen, because we are going to smile and joke and pretend to be normal, and then tomorrow we will go home?"

"We are…normal" John growled

Sherlock laughed "In this room we are happily married, we love our children and live together with them in marital bliss we are not normal in this room".

"Sherlock, be serious" he leant against the wall, "I know you and your mother have a difficult relationship, but surely she…"

"No John, she's more powerful than Mycroft, more ruthless than Lucy and she's cleverer than me. We do what she wants, to the letter and then we all leave safely together."

John smiled at him, "I want to kill her" he said the edge back in his voice.

"hmmm you wouldn't get close" Sherlock shook his head "She's the bet guarded woman in the country"

"Better than the Queen?" John asked

"Better than the whole commonwealth" Sherlock confirmed

They looked across to where Lucy, Katherine stood flanking Violet. John looked across at Sherlock and giggled.

"Do you know that picture from George VI funeral?" he asked

"The three Queens?" Sherlock asked

"Yes, I present the three Mrs Holmes'" John told him with a flourish, which made Sherlock's eyes sparkle with mischief and lips to quirk into a genuine smile.

"The three Lady Holmes', in fact" Mycroft drawled coming up behind them.

"Have you finally ennobled Sherlock then Mycroft?" John asked, genuinely interested.

"No need" Sherlock told him, running a gentle hand over his lover's knuckles. "Lucy is already a Lady Holmes"

"What…really?" john stumbled

"Her Mother held an Irish title; Irish titles aren't patriarchal, so when Lady Eirawin died, Lucy received the title."

"So why doesn't she use the title?" John asked intrigued

"She does on her Irish Passport" Mycroft added

He was stilled by a look from Sherlock, and the atmosphere suddenly chilled between the two brothers.

"Come on John" Sherlock suddenly said "Let's go and introduce you to Lady Lucille Steadman Holmes."


	22. Chapter 22

Lucy beamed at them as they walked towards her, and John had the opportunity to study her for the first time since Dinner. The dress was amazing, but he couldn't help but think it was very bridal.

"Hullo Sweethearts" She trilled, waving. "John you look…amazing!"

"Um, yes thanks…I have to say you look pretty amazing yourself." He stuttered

"Are you going to dance with me?" She asked, suddenly coquettish, "You danced with Sherlock, after all."

"Erm OK"

"How romantic" she took his hand and led him to the centre of the room. Placing his hand around her waist and taking his other hand, she started subtly leading him. "You know you really are very handsome in that uniform, is that what Mycroft wanted?"

"Yes, he said it was a gift for his brother" John laughed.

"Well it's a bit of a gift to me as well" she giggled back, pulling him closer.

"Lu, can I ask you something?"

"Anything sweetheart"

"Do you really have a title?"

She made an odd little hissing noise, and stepped away from him slightly, searching his face, when she saw nothing but confusion she came back, and fitted herself into his arms.

"I don't use it" she smiled, "but through my mother I'm entitled to use the moniker Lady Devlin of Meath, but I really don't use it" she repeated cutting of any further enquiry.

Towards the end of the tune, Lucy took his hand, and walked him back towards Sherlock.

"I'm sorry" her husband told her "Mycroft mentioned it"

"Its fine" she smiled shallowly and the smile didn't reach her eyes.

"I'm sorry too, I didn't mean to upset you, and can you forget I said anything?" John asked, confused, and puffed out slightly when she nodded. "Now we are all together again, can we go and get a drink?"

Standing by the bar table they surveyed the room, John and Lucy swapping sarcastic comments in return for Sherlock's deductions. However when Mycroft and Katherine started dancing, and Mummies attention was dragged away, they slid out of the ballroom and onto the patio overlooking the formal garden.

Once outside Lucy and Sherlock started devouring John, kissing and groping him wherever they could reach, till blushing and giggling he told them to stop. Finally slapping Sherlock's hands in desperation, earning a pout.

"Could we duck out?" John asked

"Erm…we did last time it didn't end well" Lucy told him

"Last time?"

"Ten years ago tonight" Sherlock started "Lucy and I came to this …erm….event. She wore this dress, and we ducked out halfway through"

"Lady Holmes found us in the garden, and there was hell to pay" Lucy giggled "she's never liked me since".

"So if we ducked out again?" Sherlock asked

"We might give her a heart attack!" John told him, "Actually what a good idea!"

The three started giggling again, but sadly just before they could follow out there brilliant plan, Lady Holmes face appeared at the doorway, and they were beckoned back inside.


	23. Chapter 23

The countdown to midnight came in the way of all New Year's Eve Parties, John only became aware of the time, when Mrs Hudson came and asked for his protection against an unwarranted midnight kiss from Sherrinford. Lucy was still circulating like the society beauty she was, and Sherlock had spent most of the evening, skirting around the room avoiding actually having to talk to anyone.

A little bell was rung a silence descended on the ballroom, suddenly the large clock hanging over the room's formal entrance started chiming. It was the first time John had noticed the clock, and he stared wide-eyed for a moment.

"It only rings the changes" Sherlock explained slipping his hand into Johns.

"You've not heard it for ten years?" John asked

"No" Lucy said nuzzling his other side, and slipping her arm through his, "we didn't get to hear it last time"

"Is it old?" Mrs Hudson asked Sherlock as the countdown started

"It belonged to my Great Grandfathers older brother" Sherlock explained "Mycroft's namesake"

"5,4,3,2,1…..HAPPY NEW YEAR" The room shouted, as the bells chimed.

"Happy New Year, John" Mrs Hudson squealed, kissing him, then moving on to Sherlock, who accepted her over enthusiastic hug with aplomb.

"You OK?" John asked the quiet Lucy, who just stood silently beside him .

"hmm?" she looked up at him, seemingly far away in thought, "oh yes Happy New Year" she kissed his shoulder lightly and cuddled him closer.

"Happy New Year love" he kissed her forehead, and she smiled as Mrs Hudson finally left Sherlock to join in with Auld Lang Syne. "Happy New Year Sherlock, he said kissing his boyfriend on the mouth."

"My Heart is ravisht with delight,  
>when thee I think upon;<br>All Grief and Sorrow takes the flight,  
>and speedily is gone;<br>The bright resemblance of thy Face,  
>so fills this, Heart of mine;<br>That Force nor Fate can me displease,  
>for Old long syne." Lucy sand softly to the music.<p>

"I don't think they are the lyrics?" John told her, earning a laugh of derision from Sherlock

"Don't you know those lines, John?" Lucy asked surprised

"erm no" he looked confused "why?"

"The writer was John Hamish Watson, and it was written in 1711, 77 years before Burn's version."

John just stared at her for a moment, unaware that he had an illustrious namesake.

"I just thought isn't it odd how history keeps repeating itself, Happy New Year."


	24. Chapter 24

The next morning John awoke with an odd feeling, opening his eyes, he sore hanging on the wardrobe in front of him, what he recognised as his own dress uniform and a wedding dress. With the amnesia of the newly woken, he couldn't tie this in his head, and tried to remember his own wedding. He also had another moment of panic when a soft moaning squirming hot body rubbed itself against him.

Waking up slightly more, he remembered the party, and that the warm person beside him was Lucy. For a moment however he was caught between the amnesia of sleep and the confusion of his waking life. He ran a hand through her long hair, and had a moment of luxury embracing the beautiful ethereal creature beside him.

This intimate moment was soon interrupted by the door to the room opening, and Sherlock stepping through. Fully clothed in his coat and scarf, he looked across at John and smiled,

"It's New Year's Day, are you ready we are going home?" Sherlock chimed.

"Has Lestrade got a case for you?" John asked, sitting up.

"Not yet, but we can go home" he added again, "come on"

John beamed, and got up, leaving Lucy in the bed.

"What about me?" Lucy asked "I've got to go back to Blengindale"

The two men looked at her, her tousled hair framing her sad looking face, the duvet drawn up to cover her body and breasts.

"Do you want us to come with you?" John asked

"No, we are going home" Sherlock stated "Lucy can catch us up later".

"Sherlock?" she asked him, and John seeing that pleading look, made a small decision.

"Erm I'm going to the bathroom" He said, and left the room.

28 minutes later, he heard the bedroom door slam, and he left the bathroom, to find Sherlock sitting alone in the bedroom.

"Lucy's gone" he told John, and waved about the messy room.

"Gone? Gone where?" John asked

"Blengindale" Sherlock shrugged

"Will she come back to Baker Street?" he asked

Sherlock just shrugged again.


	25. Chapter 25

Lucy had taken the Volvo back to Blengindale, and with barely an explanation to her Father, had left almost immeadiately. Her father had bought her for Christmas a Cherry Red 1965 Porsche 365c, and that was the car she left in. Having left the boys and most of her belongings at the Holmes manor, the tiny sports car was more than adequate for herself and her small bag.

She really didn't care for the way she had been summarily dismissed by Sherlock, but she understood him probably better than any other person, and she would always treat his mearest suggestion as an unbreakable order. Checking her herself before she enters the car, she breaths out. He trusts her she knows he does, but there is always that moment when she remembers deep down who she is, and at that moment she remembers, he really shouldn't.

The drive into London is actually quite pleasant, there is hardly any traffic early on New Years Day, and with another Bank Holiday tomorrow, she is confident that this will remain the same all day. Driving into Central London, when it's quite is a joy for her, the buildings are lovely and forlorn, and the detritus of a crowded city wiped clean by strong winter winds. She feels like this herself, empty and wiped clean, which is why, of course she is here.

The pretty car, and the bare streets have a disquieting effect on her normally tidy and organised brain, thoughts and feeling which are normally kept so very separate seem to merge. The fact that what she's about to do will take place where her precious children live and sleep and play, doesn't help that. She pulls up further down Baker Street than is necessary, and walks back to 221B, letting herself into the empty silent house.

Slipping through the hallway like a wraith, she climbed the stairs silently. Letting herself into the locked 221B, disturbing fortnight old cobwebs, and slightly reeling from the smell of rotting flesh. Checking her Baby G, she had at least 2 hours before the family came home. Really it wasn't enough, she could do with more time, but this is what she had, and this is what she had to work with. She removed the lock picking kit from her coat pocket, and walked towards Sherlock's desk.

It took her seconds to have it opened, and to start sorting through the messy pile of papers in the draw. She wasn't entirely sure what she was looking for, he'd hinted at it, briefly during their argument, but she had to find it, destroy it or hide it. It was worth risking everything else for, worth risking her life for, it's existence in his hands was just too dangerous.

She had been searching for minutes when she heard the door open, spinning round she pulled her Browning from her coat pocket had it primed and aimed. Level with the intruders eyes, her gun didn't sway but her head cocked when she saw who was entering the room.

"James?" she questioned the consulting criminal, "to what do I owe this….erm…pleasure?"

"I'm afraid I've…misunderstood you." He told her coming closer

Lucy didn't drop her weapon, "In what way?" she asked

"I didn't actually realise who you were" his voice was soft like a lovers, "Lady Devlin"

Lucy hissed, "What do you want?"

"There is no need for you and I to be enemies, M'Lady, we are after all on the same side, somewhat"

Lucy hissed again, "Piss off" she waved the gun slightly, knowing the threat was useless "Have you only just found out?"

"I've only just put to and two together" he said, "Very clever I must say"

"Hardly, I just don't advertise, unlike some people, of course some of us don't need to."

"Touche" he laughed, and then stared at his nails as if fascinated, before turning back to her. "I could help you look for it you know? I have…means"

"I don't need your means, I'm his wife, this isn't personal"

"Fine, but you know where to find me when you change your mind"

"I won't"

With that Moriarty left the flat, with a flourish and a bang, leaving Lucy alone in the dark house still clutching the Browning.


	26. Chapter 26

When Sherlock came back to Baker Street, he knew she hadn't found what she was looking for. Both because he knew it wasn't here, and because the house was warm and cosy and smelt of coffee and fresh bread.

The curtains were all open, the main room of 221B was clean and tidy, and a roaring fire sat in the grate. Lucy had laid the dining table for the 5 of them, and was standing dressed in a loose shirt and leggings by the oven, playing with the leg timer.

She turned and gave him her Sharks smile, which he returned for his own, and then cheerfully called them inside. Making a fuss of her boys, and then John in turn, she told them Lunch would be about an hour away, and asked John about their journey back.

He fell into an easy conversation which she returned confidently, and happily. Staring daggers at Sherlock all the time. During Lunch the couple stared at one another, him deducing what she was thinking, she deducing where he'd hidden it. After an hour or so, lunch had been demolished and John took the boys to unpack their new toys and clothes in their room.

"You didn't find it then?" Sherlock asked Lucy

"It's not here, then?" she returned

"No" he conceded, "something else has happened"

"I got a visit, from a certain consulting criminal?"

"Really?" Sherlock was genuinely surprised, "Why?"

"Seems he's only just found out, what you apparently have known for a while"

"You suspect John?" Sherlock asked, amused

"No!"

"Me?"

"Always" she smiled, and kissed him on the nose, "Mycroft to an extent, but really"

"Yes?"

"I think someone else is spying on us."


	27. Chapter 27

Sherlock sat on the sofa, alone in the dark on New Year's Day night. Locked away inside his Mind Palace he dredged through his memories and knowledge of Lucy. She and John were asleep in his bed, his beloved spouses, safe and warm in the old house he had chosen as their home.

His best friend, fiercely loyal to him, utterly in love with John, caring mother to his Children Lucy had been part of his life for so long. The woman he knew, was gentle and loving, he trusted her implicitly, probably if pushed over John. Certainly over anybody else he'd ever known, when he was in trouble he would always go to her, and she would help him, no questions asked.

However for some time he had known the other side of her, probably before he'd even realised it consciously, he'd known. Vicious and calculating, she had no conscience; he'd seen this time and time again. Her maternal family background, of course he knew it, everyone knew it, but nobody would ever allude to it, not at the heart of the English establishment.

He'd had proof for a while, it was safe, it was hidden and he'd never use it against her. She didn't know though, not till this morning when he'd hinted at that, he could bring her down, he could ruin her, he could get her killed, but he wouldn't. A miscalculation on his part, he thought she'd feel more secure, he'd meant to reassure her, explain he was on her side, but she'd taken it as a threat. She'd run of to find it, to destroy it, and now he had to find a way of telling her, she was still safe.

Normally he'd have asked John, how he should reassure their wife, how to explain he meant her to be secure, not to make her afraid. However John was the last person he could tell upstanding, queen and country he'd react badly and Sherlock couldn't risk that.

Sherlock blamed Mycroft for this, before his outburst they were bonding nicely as a family; there was no need for Lucy to doubt him, no thought in the back of his mind about John rejecting her, nothing to fear. Now he'd brought it to the forefront, made Lucy and Sherlock acknowledge what they'd never talked about, mixed their personal life, with the secret war.

Now his enemy was also involved, a spy in their midst somebody knew who she was, and had told Moriarty. Sherlock couldn't see how he'd be able to harm them through that, unless he wished to expose Lucy, blackmail perhaps, another chink in Sherlock's armour. These thoughts so consumed him he didn't notice the soft padding footfalls or her presence in the room till she came and sat beside him.

Dressed in her pink silk nightgown, she came and wrapped her right arm around his waist and placed her head on his shoulder. He came fully conscious breathing in her honey scented hair and smiling despite himself.

"Forgiven me?" he asks

"Nothing to forgive, thanks for giving me a warning, you had no reason to."

"Lu, you misunderstand" he took her hand subconsciously, taking her pulse, "I wasn't threatening you…I didn't mean to make you afraid"

"I'm not afraid of you Sherlock"

"No? Good, you shouldn't be" he sighed "I was trying to reassure you"

She giggled "you did a crud job"

"Yes, I know, I couldn't tell John….and I'm not good without his advice" he chuckled "Look you're safe with me, you always have been, I've kept you're secret for longer than I can remember"

"Sherlock!"

"No, listen, what you do, when you do it, is your own business it has nothing to do with me, or my work, sometimes I see your hand, but I'd never expose you for it. You don't have to destroy our new life, you me John and the boys, nothing has changed."

"Moriarty?"

"Is my problem, not yours"

"I think I understand what he wants from me."

"Really? What?"

She sighed, and let out little high pitched giggle, "I think, I think he wants me to hire him"

He spun round and looked at her, his eyes darting across her face, "why?"

"We work in similar areas, he's obviously come across my work, I suspect he's wanted me to notice him for a while, and now he knows me as an individual, it must have fallen into place for him."

"Do you think he wants to manipulate you?"

"I would if I were him" she laughed, "as would you"

"I love you Lucy"

"I love you Sherlock" then she laughed

"What?" he asked

"I hope Easter is better than this"


End file.
